To understand brain function mechanistically, and thus to take principled approaches in repairing damaged brains, biomedical scientists face the daunting task of bridging the gap between the electrophysiological properties of single cells and the emergent properties of neuronal networks. The proposed experiments will help bridge this gap for a problem of great relevance in cognition and learning and memory: the cellular bases of the coherent theta rhythm in the hippocampus. The central hypothesis is that a particular class of hippocampal inhibitory interneurons, called oriens lacunosum-moleculare (O-LM) cells, plays a crucial role in amplifying the theta rhythm in vivo and generating theta-rhythmic activity in vitro. Proposed brain-slice experiments rely upon a recently developed real-time dynamic clamp system to study the integrative properties of O-LM cells and to immerse living neurons in computer-simulated microcircuits. Building such hybrid microcircuits-small brain circuits containing biological and simulated neurons that interact in real time- allows one to test precise hypotheses of microcircuit function with unprecedented quantitative rigor. Additional proposed studies focus on the consequences of O-LM-cell projections to the distal dendrites of pyramidal cells, as well as the consequences of O-LM-cell loss for the theta rhythm in vivo and in vitro. The proposed research program has five aims: (1) To study the input-output properties of O-LM cells in response to artificial synaptic barrages that mimic the in vivo state. (2) To study how phase-locked, distal and proximal inhibitory inputs can lead to phase-locked sparse firing in excitatory pyramidal cells. (3) To study the effects of distal O-LM-based inhibition on phase-dependent selection of dendritic inputs to pyramidal neurons. (4) To study how input from oriens-lacunosum moleculare (O-LM) interneurons to pyramidal cells and fast- spiking interneurons contributes to self-organized theta and gamma rhythms in """"""""closed-loop"""""""" networks. (5) To study the importance of synchronization of O-LM cells for rhythmic activity under manipulation of feedback input, artificial rhythmic drive from the septum, and other factors. The long-term goal of this research program is to understand, with quantitative and mechanistic rigor, the mechanisms by which both normal and abnormal rhythmic behaviors emerge in the hippocampus and other cortical regions. The work will be immediately relevant to understanding the theta and gamma rhythms. These two patterns of coherent activity seem crucial for normal cognition and learning and memory, and are disrupted in a broad range of conditions including epilepsy, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Because the proposed approach can show how specific membrane mechanisms contribute to network function, it is particularly useful for identifying new drug targets. An added bonus of the proposed approach is that the dynamic clamp technology developed for these studies may prove useful for therapeutic, feedback-controlled electrical stimulation of the brain.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed project is relevant to public health for two reasons. First, the proposed work allows rigorous study of rhythmic brain activity known to be important for cognition and learning and memory. Second, electronic technology being developed and used for this project will be valuable for feedback-based electrical stimulation of brain structures in neurological patients.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01MH085074-01A2
Application #
7888024
Study Section
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Study Section (LAM)
Program Officer
Glanzman, Dennis L
Project Start
2010-03-26
Project End
2015-01-31
Budget Start
2010-03-26
Budget End
2011-01-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$338,625
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Utah
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Type
Schools of Engineering
DUNS #
009095365
City
Salt Lake City
State
UT
Country
United States
Zip Code
84112
Fernandez, Fernando R; Rahsepar, Bahar; White, John A (2018) Differences in the Electrophysiological Properties of Mouse Somatosensory Layer 2/3 Neurons In Vivo and Slice Stem from Intrinsic Sources Rather than a Network-Generated High Conductance State. eNeuro 5:
Melonakos, Eric D; White, John A; Fernandez, Fernando R (2016) Gain Modulation of Cholinergic Neurons in the Medial Septum-Diagonal Band of Broca Through Hyperpolarization. Hippocampus 26:1525-1541
Tikidji-Hamburyan, Ruben A; Martínez, Joan José; White, John A et al. (2015) Resonant Interneurons Can Increase Robustness of Gamma Oscillations. J Neurosci 35:15682-95
Fernandez, Fernando R; Malerba, Paola; White, John A (2015) Non-linear Membrane Properties in Entorhinal Cortical Stellate Cells Reduce Modulation of Input-Output Responses by Voltage Fluctuations. PLoS Comput Biol 11:e1004188
Bauer, Jennifer A; Lambert, Katherine M; White, John A (2014) The past, present, and future of real-time control in cellular electrophysiology. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 61:1448-56
Economo, Michael N; Martínez, Joan José; White, John A (2014) Membrane potential-dependent integration of synaptic inputs in entorhinal stellate neurons. Hippocampus 24:1493-505
Malerba, Paola; Kopell, Nancy (2013) Phase resetting reduces theta-gamma rhythmic interaction to a one-dimensional map. J Math Biol 66:1361-86
Fernandez, Fernando R; Malerba, Paola; Bressloff, Paul C et al. (2013) Entorhinal stellate cells show preferred spike phase-locking to theta inputs that is enhanced by correlations in synaptic activity. J Neurosci 33:6027-40
Broicher, Tilman; Malerba, Paola; Dorval, Alan D et al. (2012) Spike phase locking in CA1 pyramidal neurons depends on background conductance and firing rate. J Neurosci 32:14374-88
Lillis, Kyle P; Kramer, Mark A; Mertz, Jerome et al. (2012) Pyramidal cells accumulate chloride at seizure onset. Neurobiol Dis 47:358-66

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